During the Oct. 11 Board of Supervisors meeting, Navajo County Sheriff KC Clark gave a presentation on prescription drug abuse within the tribal communities. “Society often focuses on the illegal drugs as an epidemic,” said Clark, “but many of us miss that it’s the prescription drugs already inside our home that can pose the greatest threat.”
According to a 2015 report, Reducing Teen Substance Misuse: What Really Works, Arizona ranked eighth highest for the number of youth drug overdose deaths, with a rate of 10.2 per 100,000 youth, age 12 to 25, while the national rate is 7.3 per 100,000.
To help educate and reduce prescription drug abuse, toolkits have been created and will soon be distributed to local tribes and schools to raise awareness to the prescription drug epidemic. “Two-hundred toolkits have been handed out to tribes across the country,” stated Clark. The toolkit is a collaborative effort between Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Indian Country Intelligence Network, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona Inc., Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, and the Navajo County Sherriff’s Office.
To continue with the effort to combat drug abuse, Navajo County will be hosting a drug take-back day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22, at Safeway stores located in Winslow and Holbrook for those who have expired or unused prescription drugs.
Superior Court Judge Michala Ruechel also went before the board to update them regarding cases handled by the courts. She also told the board that she has decided not to continue as presiding judge for a fourth term. “It’s a privilege to be a part of such a great team,” said Ruechel. She stated that she believed that it’s important to allow for new perspective and ideas. In January of this year, Judge Robert Higgins will take on the role of presiding judge of the Navajo County Superior Court.
In other action, the board:
* Approved a Constable Ethics, Standards and Training Board Grant of $3,777.13 for ballistic vests and equipment for the new constables in Winslow, Kayenta and Snowflake.
* Reissued a new check to replace an original lost or destroyed check that was issued to Lois-Lynne Mathisen for grant reimbursement in the amount of $250.
* Approved a memorandum between the sheriff’s office and the Department of Public Safety for $70,000 to be used to purchase safety equipment for deputies. These funds will renew annually, pending fund availability and approval by the state legislature.
* Approved a contract with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety that will designate $13,700 to the sheriff’s office for overtime and capital to support and enhance the Impaired Driver/DUI enforcement program.
* Approved contracts signed by the county manager pursuant to Board of Supervisors Resolution: Woodruff Pit License.
* Certified revenue collected by the Superior Court, Clerk of the Court and all six Justice Courts in fiscal year 2015-16, along with five percent set aside funds.
* Approved the sale of one back tax land parcel for $546.44.
* Proclaimed the month of October as Fire Prevention Month.
* Approved the acceptance of awards from the Homeland Security Grant Program for fiscal year 2016 in the amount of $74,232. Projects to be reimbursed include the North Region Training and Exercise of which Navajo County’s portion is $21,798 of the $68,000 awarded to the region, the Navajo County Citizen Corps Program, $9,434, and the Navajo County Regional Dispatch Protocols, $43,000.
* Approved the Attorney General’s Victim’s Rights Grant award in the amount of $41,800 to the Navajo County Attorney’s Office to fund staffing for victim notification.
* Approved professional services contracts with Jessica Vicari and Erica Forth Boswell, RDH, for dental hygiene services through the Navajo Nation Oral Health Program effective Oct. 1 to June 20, 2017, both in the amount of $40 per hour.
* Accepted the resignation of Jerry McGraw from the White Mountain Lakes County Recreation Improvement District Advisory Committee, and appointed Mark Silliman as chairman and William Kaiser as vice chairman.
* Authorized hiring an interim administrator for the White Mountain Lakes County Recreation Improvement District Advisory Committee for no more than 10 hours per week at $13.95 an hour.
* While meeting as the White Mountain Lakes County Recreation Improvement District, approved an amendment to the Rule Book to have assignment of use privileges include for renters and commercial property in the district, and allow up to five people on a joint tenancy deed to be organized as members.
